


Come What May

by Sethrine



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Attempted Kidnapping, Bank Robbery, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Kidnapping, Mild Trauma, Prompt Fic, Protective Steve Rogers, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Teasing, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-10-26 17:13:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17750093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sethrine/pseuds/Sethrine
Summary: There’s quite a few coincidences that happen throughout anyone’s lifetime. It just so happens that you’re experiencing far too many in a short span of time to be considered mere coincidence - and others are also beginning to take notice. Just how many times can Captain America actually save you before things take a turn for the worst?





	1. Oops

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was started out of a bored idea to have my best friend give me one-word or short phrased prompts, and I would write a cohesive, continuing story out of the prompts. Each chapter title is the prompt I was given.
> 
> Also, this thing is a bit of a slow-burn, not too terribly slow, but moreso than I usually write. I'm quite proud of how I was able to make this whole thing cohesive.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Being late to work wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world, but for you, someone who took pride in good work ethics, it was damn near close.

It felt like everything was working against you that morning, all thanks to your carelessness the night before. Your alarm went off thirty minutes later due to you forgetting to change it back from yesterday’s later start to the day; there was no coffee anywhere in your apartment, and, somehow, you missed the button on the dryer and had to wait over thirty minutes for your clothes to dry.

As it was, you should have already been on your way out the door, yet you were rushing to dress yourself while attempting to finish off your meager breakfast of orange juice and toast. You were just slipping on your shoes and deciding whether to grab your coat or leave it when your cell rang. Groaning, you reached for the device blasting the chorus of one of your brother’s favorite songs before answering in a rush of breath.

“Hello?”

_“Hey, wow, you okay? No need for that tone with me, young lady!”_

Despite your rushed antics and not-so-thrilling morning thus far, you couldn’t help but smile at your brother’s voice.

“Andrew, hey! Sorry, I’m just…I’m running late, and-“

_“You, late? Wow, never thought I’d live long enough to hear those words in the same sentence.”_

“Yeah, haha, so funny. Just…this hasn’t been my morning. Look, I should have been out the door over fifteen minutes ago. Let me call you back later, okay?”

_“That’s fine, don’t worry about it. Wouldn’t wanna stop a working woman, anyways. Oh, hey, did you at least eat? I know how you are when you’re in a hurry.”_

You rolled your eyes as you rummaged through your tote bag, making sure you had all your papers and reports for the day.

“Yes, _mother_ , I ate my breakfast.”

_“Good, just checking. Have a day.”_

“What? No having a _‘good’_ day?”

_“Well, considering you’re on the verge of being twenty minutes late-”_

“Yeah, thanks, okay! Talk to you later.”

You both gave amused good-byes, and as soon as your phone was tucked away safely in your pants pocket, you were reaching for your house keys, your tote bag, and then heading out the door.

The walk to work was a relatively short one, usually only ten minutes at a brisk walk. As you made your way through the bustling streets of New York, your busy mind wandered to Andrew and his protective manners while your feet carried you on autopilot.

Andrew was a Marine, had been since he was fresh out of high school. He had learned so many things, had climbed up the ranks, and though you weren’t completely sure what he did within the Force, you supported him wholeheartedly. He loved the work, the rush of dangerous situations that sent his adrenaline soaring, something of which you would never understand and, frankly, worried you greatly at times.

As of recently, however, you took solace in the fact that his station for the time being was at the Avengers Tower. You had no idea why he was stationed there or what exactly it was that he did. Honestly, you didn’t want to know. But knowing he was at least in the same building as the group of heroes  that had saved countless people in numerous cities gave you some peace of mind.

You were forced out of your thoughts by the insistent ringing and buzzing of your phone going off once again that morning. You reached into your pocket and answered it automatically, not at all surprised to hear your boss on the other end.

_“Hello, (Y/N), is everything alright? You haven’t signed into the network, and no one’s seen you around the office, yet.”_

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just had a late start this morning, but I’m almost there, I swear!”

_“Oh, good, glad nothing serious happened! I believe you gave the others a fright when you didn’t show at your usual time. You’re known for being very punctual.”_

“I am so, so sorry, Jennet, it won’t happen again.”

_“Don’t even worry about it. Honestly, shit happens, and I’m not going to hold life against you.”_

You both gave a short laugh at her statement. You loved how laid back Jennet could be while still being a fierce leader and a hard-working boss.

_“I’m actually glad I caught you. It’s a bit out of your way, I know, but could you stop by our partnering bank? Mr. Perez has some files ready for us, and last time I sent Jimmy, he somehow got everything mixed up.”_

“Oh, yeah, no problem! I can grab a taxi, be in and out in a jiffy. It shouldn’t take me any longer than an hour, if traffic is light.”

_“Great, thanks! I’ll go ahead and… you in…work, see you w…here!”_

The call ended abruptly without so much as another word spoken on your part. You gave your phone a look, glancing at the signal bars to find they were fully lit up. Well, that was strange.

Replacing your phone, you changed your direction and stepped to the curb, throwing your arm up at the first sight of a yellow car. Two attempts were all you needed to hail an empty taxi, and within another fifteen minutes, you had arrived at your business’ partnering bank.

It was a very big bank, one that had quite a lot of traffic from opening to closing. Mr. Perez was a nice, trusting man, very fair, and his numbers were always well calculated. He made financing look like a piece of cake, which is why Jennet had partnered with him in the first place. It also helped that they were longtime friends.

You paid your fare and entered the building, not at all surprised to find several small lines having already formed at the open windows.

Shifting your tote bag slightly, you made your way further in and to the left, intent on rounding behind the counters and to the back where several offices, including Mr. Perez’s own, were held. The man himself, a short, stalky man with dark hair and glasses, was out and discussing something with the security guard beside the entryway to the back. He must have sensed your gaze on him, because not a moment later, he turned and gave you a welcoming smile and a wave of his hand to come on over.

You hastened your pace just a bit, though in your sudden change of speed and eyes firmly locked forward, you hadn’t seen the man passing beside you and bumped into him harshly, tripping over your own two feet in the process and falling to your knees with a sharp gasp. There was a large clatter beside you, possibly something the man had dropped due to your clumsiness, and already you had an apology as you attempted to right yourself.

“Shit, I am so sorry, I didn’t…didn’t mean to….”

Looking to where the object fell, your eyes widened to find a gun not but two feet away from you. Your gaze moved slowly up to the now scowling man standing above you, his dark eyes seething in anger.

“What the fuck did you do?” he asked, though it seemed more like a rhetorical question. Nevertheless, you gave an answer that only you could come up with in such a dire situation.

“Um…oops?”

Three sharp shots suddenly echoed in the air, causing a tide of panic and fear to take hold of the people in the building. Within seconds, people were scattering and running for their lives, several making it out the front doors before another few shots rang out, halting most of the movement.

You attempted to take advantage of the situation in hopes of making a mad dash out of there, but as soon as you made a move to stand, there was a rough hand in your hair, pulling hard and effectively stopping your attempt to get away. Your hands were instantly around his wrist, but his grip was firm, and it didn’t feel like he planned on letting go any time soon.

“Don’t think you’re goin’ anywhere, sugar, not after you done fucked up our plans,” he said, pulling harder on your hair and forcing you to your feet. He retrieved his gun in the process, of which had fallen from his large coat pocket when you knocked into him, and began pointing it randomly at those who hadn’t been able to escape.

“Alright, alright, I need all of ya to shut up and get down on the floor,” he shouted out, everyone doing exactly as he had told them.

From your unfavorable vantage point, you could see a man holding a rather large gun where the security guard Mr. Perez had been talking to once stood. Said officer was now splayed out on the floor beside the man’s feet, his gun sticking out of the other man’s pants. Poor guy; he must have tried to stop whatever this was turning into and got caught in the crossfire. At least he hadn’t been shot…or so you hoped.

“Good, you lot are quite the listeners! Now, we don’t want much; just give us the money, no one gets hurt, that sort of thing. Any difficulties,” he paused, pulling your head back by your hair hard enough for you to let out a cry of pain, “and we might just have to retract that last part.”

He looked to his right at another one of his partners, a stone-faced man who looked like he’d been through war or something similar in that nature, and gave a firm nod. The stone-faced man then moved to the first window, throwing a large duffle bag at the woman behind it while pointing his gun directly at her. She was quick to comply and began shoveling money into the bag in hopes of keeping her life.

You could see everyone from your unfortunate vantage point, scattered across the floor in hunched positions, and they were terrified. Most of them had their heads down, trying to make themselves as small as possible so as not to become the next target. Others were quietly comforting one another or subtly attempting to look around or at the group of criminals’ faces to most likely give the best description of them to the police once they were on their way.

Hell, you were just as scared as all of them, especially being put in the position you were in. You and your clumsy self effectively turned your day into possibly the worst one of your life. You weren’t sure if there was any way out of this for you, especially since you had messed up whatever plans they had before they could even begin, yet even if things seemed meek, you couldn’t help but wonder….

If Andrew were in this situation, what would he do?

“H-hey,” you spoke up, cursing your rapidly beating heart and your stuttering voice as the ring leader, your captor, looked to you.

“Hm? Got somethin’ to say, sugar?”

“Why…why are you doing this?”

Your question gave your captor a chuckle as he grinned maliciously at you.

“Because, money makes the world go ‘round, and we’re in short supply. No better place than a bank to get what we need.”

“Or, maybe you could, I don’t know, get a job like everyone else?”

Yeah, that’s definitely what Andrew would say in this situation. He’d have earned a nice hit to the face, too, just like the one you received immediately after that comment, the butt of the gun hitting hard against the side of your face and forcing a pained shout from your lips.

“Boy, the mouth on you, sugar! Makes me wanna….”

The man pressed the barrel of his gun against the corner of your mouth, laughing cruelly as you flinched away from the contact, pressing your lips firmly together in hopes he didn’t try it again.

“Let her go.”

Your captor turned abruptly at the demanding voice, pulling you closer once again by your hair and causing you to wince. There stood a man dressed comfortably in jeans, a thin jacket over some sort of graphic tee, and a baseball cap covering his head. His bright blue eyes were staring down your captor with such ferocity that if looks could put people into motion, the ring leader would have already been knocked to the floor by such intensity.

“Well, look at you, pretty boy! Didn’t your momma ever tell ya bein’ a hero will only get ya killed?”

“Last chance, buddy,” the man said, his posture changing to that of someone gearing up for something more to happen. He was scanning the area in a quick glance around, taking notice of the other two lackeys who were both keeping their eye on their boss’ situation, but continuing their jobs as collector and look-out. His eyes then found yours, and for a brief moment, they softened in a manner that made you feel things might just turn out okay.

Your captor gave a hearty laugh, clearly amused at the man practically begging to be shot.

“What’re ya gonna do, huh? You gonna make me let her go? Wanna test if you’re faster than a bullet to her head?”

The gun shifted until the barrel was against your temple, a malicious smile slowly making its way across the ring leader’s lips. You gave out a shuttering breath, attempting to keep yourself calm, but unable to stop the slight prickling of tears at the corners of your eyes. You looked to the man trying to save you once more, begging him with your gaze to back down, save himself. You’d already come to terms with your possible death, the last thing you wanted was to have someone killed because of you.

There was a moment of challenging glances between your captor and the man, though after a moment, the blue-eyed savior seemed to relent. Your captor was more than pleased, easing the gun from the side of your head to point it at his new target.

“Good on you, pretty boy! Now, down on your knees, hands behind your head.”

The blue-eyed man’s eyes were sharp as he took a small step back, placing his hands behind his head. Just as he made to kneel, his gaze shifted to just behind your captor, a look of fear crossing his features.

“No, don’t!”

Your captor turned abruptly at the other man’s outburst, ready to stop whatever was taking place behind him. It was the perfect distraction for your blue-eyed savior to run up and grapple with the ring leader for his gun, the grip in your hair loosening just enough for you to free yourself. You fell to the floor just as your savior effectively knocked the gun from your captor’s hand and sent a hard punch to the side of his head, effectively knocking him out.

He looked to you for a brief moment, his worry soothing over as soon as your gaze met his. The moment lasted only a short second as shots rang through the building, a panic once again settling over the people. Your blue-eyed savior was on the move instantly, ducking behind pillars in an attempt to get closer to the other two lackeys.

You remained on the floor, following the man’s swift and calculated movement as it dawned on you exactly who had risked his life for yours.

Captain America had saved your life.


	2. I.O.U.

Your mind was still reeling with the events that had just occurred.

Captain America saved you.

Holy shit!

One more time for the people in the back: Captain _fucking_ America saved your life, and everyone else’s lives who were victims of what could have been a very bad bank robbery. He not only incapacitated your captor with a quick wit and speedy precision, but he was also able to take out the leader’s  other two partners as well as three more culprits who had been posing as helpless customers, waiting for things to go south. And boy, did things go south…for them, anyways.

Once all six men were at some level of unconsciousness or unable to put up much of a fight, police and some form of special agents were quick to swarm the building, assuring there were no other threats. When all was secure and the baddies were apprehended, medics began making their rounds. Captain America himself made sure you were one of the first few to be evaluated.

Besides the bruise already forming a dark color against your cheek from the earlier hit and the mild shock of being in such a scary situation, you were going to be just fine. You would need a day or two from work to recoup, something of which you weren’t particularly thrilled to explain exactly why you needed a few sudden days off. Jennet would understand, though. Hell, she had probably already blown your phone up with texts and calls, either already aware of what had taken place or wondering what was taking you so long to collect those files, or maybe she-

“Hey, are you alright, ma’am?”

A bit dazedly, you looked up into stunning blue eyes filled with concern. Concern for _you_.

“I…yeah. Yeah, I’m good. Just…did _not_ expect my bad morning to turn into this.”

The good Captain had the decency to look sorry over your situation, though it wasn’t his fault things had turned out the way they did. You were just the victim of a bad situation, is all. And the blond was quickly making it better with his hovering worry.

“I owe you one, Captain,” you said suddenly as you looked up at the man, you words holding such conviction that it had him hurrying to dissuade you.

“I don’t think that’s necessary, ma’am-“

“Completely necessary,” you argued lightly, holding his stare firmly. “I started this whole mess because I’m clumsy and wasn’t watching where I was going. I nearly got my head blown off because I decided being snarky like my brother was a good idea. You not only took that man’s attention away from me long enough to incapacitate him, but you were able to take out his partners like you were destined to do it, or something, I don’t-“

You had to pause in your ramblings to look away from the man and take a few steady breaths, your words beginning to lose their strength and your eyes misting as you relived the moments that happened only minutes ago.

“I owe you one, Captain. I really do. Thank you.”

He looked genuinely flustered at your sincerity, as if he had never had someone say such a thing with so much conviction, so much promise that such a statement would be carried out. He looked on the verge of responding, though the fast motion of a man on the move and the shout of a name, your name, had the Captain stepping back to observe the proceedings.

Strong arms were around you in a firm embrace a moment later, the hold familiar and comforting. The stress of the day hit you all at once in that hold, and without warning, you were crying against your brother, clutching at his shirt and pressing your face against his shoulder to cover up your sobs.

“It’s alright, (Y/N), I got you, you’re alright,” he shushed you gently, rocking you slightly as a hand moved up and down your back soothingly. He looked up at the blond man watching over you like a hawk, gaining his attention with a nod of his head.

“Thanks, Captain. I got her, now.”

“Right, of course,” he answered, gaze moving to you a moment longer before he stepped away, moving toward a small group of agents who must have been discussing what had occurred.

Andrew turned his attention back on you, pulling away slightly to cup your face in his hands. Most of your sobbing had eased its way out, leaving behind flowing trails of tears and small hiccups. You gave a small whimper as his thumb passed over the bruising on your cheek, the look on his face turning cold as he noticed the discoloration.

“Shit, what did they do to you?”

“I’m okay, I’m fine,” you assured through your tears, the same reassurances he was just giving you. “’m just a little banged up. He was gonna…he was gonna shoot me, or toyed with the idea, I don’t know.”

You gave a short chuckle and a watery smile as Andrew continued to look down at you with worry.

“But Captain America, of all people, saved me, saved all of us from something potentially bad. He was amazing, you should have seen him!”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” he said with a smile of his own, leaning forward to kiss the top of your head. “Now, let’s get you out of here, okay? I think you’ve had enough of a bad day.”

“But…but I have to give a statement-“

“Later,” Andrew said firmly as he helped you to stand on slightly shaking legs, one arm instantly finding its way around his shoulders for support. “Right now, you need rest. Everything else can wait.”

“Okay,” you said, giving a small shake of your head as you let your brother lead you out of the bank. You kept your eyes mostly downcast, not wanting to gain anyone else’s attention. In doing so, you missed the small nod of acknowledgement and respect your brother sent the good Captain, who had followed your movement as soon as Andrew began leading you away, as well as the one your blue-eyed savior sent back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! Let me know what you think, so far!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	3. Déjà Vu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daily updates? How odd for me! But I have a backlog of chapters right now, and I'm eager to get the story out. 
> 
> Don't expect the daily updates to keep going...my track record proves I'm shit at consistent updates.

A little over a week had gone by since the incident at the bank, and everything had seemingly gone back to normal. Well, mostly normal.

You refused to stop into a bank for the time being, choosing, instead, to do online transactions until you regained some comfort in being inside one. Andrew, at least, was happy with this decision.

Just as you had suspected, Jennet was more than understanding and had given you three days off, of which you attempted to argue was too much, but there was no changing the woman’s mind. The break was good for you, as it allowed you to feel comfortable in your own skin once more, but you sure were ready to get back to work.

As it was, you were on your lunch break on a Friday, deciding to pop into the little family-owned and operated sandwich shop just down the street from your place of employment. It was a good place, one you would easily recommend anyone who asked, and the owners were just the best. They took the time to know their customers on a personal level, of which made the place feel like home.

First thing you stepped into the shop, you were instantly greeted with warm smiles and a happy call of your name. If anyone noticed the slight yellowing of a bruise against your cheekbone, no one called attention to it.

“Ah, it’s so nice to see you again! The usual?”

“Sounds good, Maury.”

You chatted with the man as he and his wife set about preparing your order, finding out that his daughter was pregnant with her first child, the third grandchild out of their four kids. Business was good, as you suspected, their car had finally been paid off, and Jesse said hello and wanted to know if you were still single, of which you answered honestly, but had to kindly decline any sort of courtship.

“It’s okay, we understand,” Cathleen assured you with a wave of her hand. “He’s a no-good noodle, anyway, stubborn and hardheaded, like a brick.”

By the time you were out the door, you had been coerced into taking a small cup of soup along with your sandwich of choice, free of charge. You were thoroughly flustered, though you were happy with all the new information and well wishes thrown your way.

The rest of your day was filled with good vibes, and by the time you signed out of the network and gathered your things, you were in a grand mood. Maybe you’d grab a bottle of wine on your way home, have a nice bath and watch bad crime videos to end such a lovely day.

The closest convenience store was just right around the corner from your apartment, and they just so happened to carry your preferred choice of wine. You made your way there with a little bounce in your step, entering with a smile and a polite wave to the cashier on duty. He looked bored to be there, but at least he was attentive to the other shoppers when they approached him.

Your attention turned to the aisles as you made your way toward the back area where beer and other alcoholic beverages were stored. You scanned the selection of wines, face lighting up when you saw a full stock of your favorite brand on the second shelf. It was a bit on the pricey side, even for a convenience store, but it was good, and after such a delightful day (and a previously hellish one over a week ago), you deserved a good bottle.

With wine in-hand, you made your way to the checkout counter, having been caught behind three others, the woman checking out holding a fussy looking baby. As she made to swipe her card, the baby let out a startling cry, causing the man in front of you to step back in surprise, and you, in turn, doing the same.

By accident, you bumped into someone behind you, unaware that there had been someone there.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t…mean…oh.”

When you turned with your apology quick on your tongue, you were met with a familiar, scowling face, though his eyes were much more amused than seething, this time around. Faintly, you could feel your still-bruised cheek give a dull pang in remembrance.

Well, shit.

This was not the sort of déjà vu you ever wanted to experience.

“Hello there, sugar. Why don’t me ‘n you take a walk?”

“I’d rather not, but thanks.”

“You don’t got a choice, I’m afraid,” he said liltingly, pulling out a gun from his coat pocket.

Well, at least he learned to keep a hold of it, this time. Not that doing so was helping you any in this situation, but good on him. He was learning. Just as you would probably soon learn never to go into any building ever again, lest you wanted to have a gun pointed at you.

With a shaky breath, you gripped the bottle in your hand tightly and followed your captor’s movement, his gun pressed firmly to your back as he led you with it to the exit. Just as you opened the door, the cashier called out to you, annoyance apparent in his words.

“Ma’am, you have to pay for that. Please, don’t make me call the cops.”

“Let’s not do that, now,” your captor replied with a wicked smile, grabbing your arm firmly as he positioned the gun on the cashier and shot. Screams of terror rang throughout the store as other customers ducked down, making themselves as small as possible. You looked on in horror at the splatter of blood against the wall, hoping beyond all hope that the man wasn’t dead.

“Anyone else have a problem with the lady leaving?” your captor called out, pointing his gun at the others in the vicinity. “No? Good, then we’ll be on our merry way.”

The gun was pressed once again to your back as the man led you out of the store and into the chilly night.

“Alright, sugar, keep moving,” he ordered as he all but shoved the barrel against you, the hard press of metal a clear reminder that you were one of the unluckiest ladies in the city at that moment. Oh, and you were probably going to die this time.

“You didn’t have to shoot that man,” you spoke up, but not too loudly. You had already almost been shot once by this man due to your snarky mouth, and you weren’t planning on pushing him over the edge.

“He was bein’ mouthy, wastin’ my time, and I got somewhere to be.”

“Surely it’s nowhere I need to be,” you said almost hopefully, though the following laughter was enough to stop all wishful thinking.

“On the contrary, you were personally requested to attend. As much as I’d love to pay ya back for that fuck-up you caused me and my crew at the bank, orders are orders. Now, keep your mouth shut. I may not get to kill ya myself, but I ain’t afraid to hurt ya.”

You did as he said, keeping quiet for the remainder of the trip to wherever he was leading you. As you walked, you contemplated all the information you had gotten from him.

He wasn’t the leader, after all, just another lackey in control of even lesser ones and following orders from someone higher up. Whoever it was, they knew who you were and wanted you alive, apparently. Probably so they could kill you on their own for messing up whatever job they had their men attempting to execute.

Your captor led you on in silence for another two blocks, turning from a semi-busy street down a dark alley. He stopped you with a firm jerk to your arm before a rusted metal door that looked like the back entrance to what you could only assume to be some sort of club, judging by the dull thumping of base from beyond the brick walling. He gave the door three firm hits with his fist and waited.

No one answered.

“Fuck, those idiots! Where the hell are they?”

He gave three more hits to the door and waited, once again facing the same outcome. He was quickly becoming angry.

“Why the fuck do I need to be here if they ain’t gonna show?”

His fist made contact with the door harshly, the metal denting slightly with the effort put behind the hit. The sound caused you to jump back, the bottle of wine in your hand almost slipping from your grasp.

“Whelp, looks like there’s a change of plans,” he said suddenly, forcing you to turn and face him. There was a joyful glimmer in his eyes as he pointed the gun at your face, your eyes widening at the turn of events.

“Since no one wants to show, guess I get to do what I wanted to, in the first place. Any last words, sugar?”

Oh, shit, this was it. You were going to die. You were going to die after such a good day, all because of a messed-up day you had at the bank over a week ago. This man, whoever he was, however he got out of whatever imprisonment he was being held in, had somehow found you and was now going to kill you over a stupid, clumsy moment you had.

Well, might as well die with some sort of dignity.

You swallowed thickly as you shook your head, eyes on the verge of closing so you wouldn’t have to see the flash of the barrel.

Something moved from behind your captor, a large, tall something on two legs, moving towards you slowly, almost cautiously.

“S-someone’s behind you,” you muttered quietly, your words breaking as your lips trembled with pent-up fear. The man before you scoffed, clearly not caring for your words.

“Not fallin’ for that one again, sugar. Ain’t anyone around to save you this ti-“

“Hey, you, what’s going on?”

Your captor turned to glance at the source of the voice, his arm lowering the gun a fraction to hide it from view. He was distracted, clearly not in the mood for company, but if you didn’t do something quick, the other guy would possibly be dead, too.

 In a fit of courage, bravery, possibly stupidity, you called out to the other man.

“Get out of here, he’s got a gun!”

Your captor turned to you and gave an angry grunt as he turned to face the other man obscured in the shadows of the alley, gun poised to shoot.

“Sorry, buddy, no witnesses allowed!”

Before your captor even had a moment to think about pulling the trigger, you wrapped both hands around the neck of the wine bottle you’d been holding and swung with all your might, the glass connecting with the side of his head and shattering as it sent him crashing into the wall. The contact was enough to knock him out, his gun falling from his limp hand with a clatter against the grimy cement and gravel.

“Oh God, oh my God,” you began chanting as you nearly collapsed from the rush of adrenaline leaving your body, instead leaning heavily against the brick wall of the nearest building. The man who had found himself upon this unfortunate situation quickly rushed to your side, a warm hand gently taking hold of your upper arm to steady your swaying form.

“Are you alright, ma’am? Did he hurt you?”

You looked up at the man, at the sound of a familiar voice, and couldn’t help but laugh at the concerned and very surprised blue eyes staring down at you.

Wow, this really was déjà vu, wasn’t it?

“I’m fine, Captain,” you said, side-eyeing the unconscious man lying on the ground. “He didn’t hurt me, but…there’s a convenience store clerk who he shot, about three or four blocks back on 35th and Archwell. God, I hope he made it.”

“Alright, give me a moment,” he said, pulling out his cell and calling the police, giving the locations of both the convenience store and the alleyway you both stood in, making sure they knew that a medic would be required for both locations. When he replaced his phone, his gaze was back on you.

“Are you sure you’re fine? I can take you to the nearest hospital, or we can wait until the police show.”

“No, I’m fine, promise. I just…wow, this has been the scariest and strangest two weeks of my life, let me tell you.”

You let out a long breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, your eyes shifting to that of the gun, glinting ever so slightly from the lights at the end of the alley. You turned to the good Captain then, eyes roaming over him in concern.

“Are _you_ okay? He didn’t shoot you, did he? It was so stupid what I did, I know, but I didn’t want him to hurt you, too. And I figured, hey, I guess I could waste a perfectly good bottle of wine against his head-”

“He didn’t shoot me,” he assured with a small smile stopping your ramblings. “I guess you saved my life this time.”

“I did say I owed you one,” you blurted out without really thinking, a moment of silence passing between you before you let out a chuckle, the man before you doing the same.

A sudden shift from your unconscious captor had you shooting up from the wall and right into the arms of your blue-eyed savior, his hands securely latching themselves around your waist as he shifted between you and the dangerous man. Your captor moved a bit more, but did not wake from the slumber you sent him into, his mind possibly too deep in shock from the good smacking it received.

You gave a relieved chuckle as you leaned your forehead against the muscular chest before you, finding comfort in the small contact.

There was a sudden flashing of red and blue light coming from the entrance of the alley, signaling that the police had arrived. They were quick to apprehend your captor while having a medic view him before a stretcher was issued to carry him away, most likely to the hospital until he regained consciousness. All the while, the good Captain held you close, ensuring the medics that you were fine, just shaken up.

As the police began wrapping up the happenings, asking the Captain brief questions about the incident, he looked to you with mild apprehension.

“Is there anything you need, anything I can do for you?”

“I just…I would really like to go home, now.”

“Of course. Do you mind if I…escort you back, then? I think I’d feel better knowing you got home safely. Or if you’d rather an officer, I could-”

“Please do,” you answered before he could finish his sentence, pulling away, save for your arms around one of his, as he led you out of the alley.

He was a complete gentleman the whole way, asking light questions to get your mind off what had just occurred, something of which you were grateful for. It felt like no time at all when you both turned on your street and entered the building that housed your apartment, catching the elevator to the third floor where you guided him to the last door on the right.

He stayed until the very last second, wishing you a good night and waiting until you had your door shut and locked before leaving. With his exit, he left behind a peace of mind you had lost over an hour ago.

After a long, hot shower and two shots of cinnamon whiskey your brother had gotten you last Christmas, you were more than ready for bed. As soon as your head hit the pillow, you were out like a light, dreams easy and plagued by only a kind smile and lovely blue eyes.

The next morning, you found out on the news that the convenience store clerk was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	4. Shirts 'n' Skins

There was a place about ten miles deeper into the city you enjoyed going to with your brother when you had the time and money to spare. It was a large building and looked a bit rundown, with rust spots covering it in splotches, the building itself rightly named ‘Warehouse 36’ back when it was just for storage. You only ever knew the place as Shirts ‘n Skins.

The large warehouse was basically now a shop filled to the brim with all sorts of shirts, graphic T’s, novelty items, gifts, fragrances, and a full section of the large expanse of space was sectioned off and dedicated to the military.

Andrew had shown you around nearly three years ago after a mutual friend introduced him to the place, and you fell in love with the sheer size and variety of clothes and gift items they had available. Not to mention, it became so much easier to shop for Andrew’s military-appropriate attire, as they catered to all branches and ranks within and even donated some of the proceeds to each branch.

Another feature you had taken advantage of a few times in the past was their T-shirt print service. Once, you had given them a drawn-out image of some team thing you were participating in for your company, with a list of names of those on your team. Two days later, you had a box of bright orange shirts with the image and your team’s name embossed on the front in a bright, squiggly blue font, with the last names of each member on the back.

The place was absolutely amazing. That day, though, you were on a mission to find your brother a new set of boots. He’d had the same pair for years, and though they were still in pretty decent condition, you remember him saying something a few weeks back about possibly finding a new pair, as the soles were starting to thin. He’d been so busy recently that you doubted he’d even had the chance to leave his post at the tower, let alone step out for a new pair of boots.

With that thought in mind, you entered through one of the four doors centering the building, determined to find just what he needed. That determination faltered just slightly when you noticed that things had…changed a bit on the inside.

You passed several aisles with a mild sort of confusion, looking up to the large banners that named each area and finding that some things had been moved to different places. There even looked like there were quite a few new things added to the stock.

Thankfully, the military area was still in the same corner, the large building made within the warehouse a familiar and welcoming sight. You stepped up to the window located on the right, smiling at the familiar, older face working there.

“Luke, hey!”

“Oh, heya, (Y/n)! It’s been awhile! Where’s ya brother? He around?”

“Nope, not this time,” you answered, “he’s been real busy these past few months.”

“No kiddin’? Bummer, he’s a good man, good company.”

“Yeah. I figured while he was busy, I’d do some of his shopping for him. You need my I.D.?”

“Nah, think we all know ya by now. Come on in, kid.”

Luke reached off to the side and pressed a series of number-laden buttons, the large door to your left giving a small buzzing sound, signaling it was now unlocked from the outside.

“Thanks, Luke!”

You entered the building, not at all surprised by the scatter of men and women, most dressed in some form of basics, scanning through the items down several long aisles. The building itself was like a completely separate store, with access granted only to those in the Force or a select few with proper identification, of which you were lucky enough to have.

Politely greeting those you passed, you made your way to the very back where the wall was covered with different sizes, makes, and colors of boots, your eyes scanning for the darker shade that Andrew seemed to prefer. You knew the color and size you needed, but the make…which one was it, now?

“Well, I’ll be damned, if it isn’t (Y/n)!”

Startled, you turned at the exclamation, a surprised smile instantly lighting your features at the familiar dark blond hair and green gaze eyeing you with utter delight.

“Damien?! Wow, it’s so great to see you!”

The tall man chuckled as he moved forward and wrapped his muscular arms around you in a firm hug, your arms winding their way around his neck to return the embrace. When he pulled away, it was with a wide grin.

“It’s been way too long, sweetheart. What made you decide to grace us with your lovely presence today?”

“Andrew said something about needing new boots a while back, so I thought I’d get them for him, since he’s been so busy. I just…ah, forgot the make he usually gets.”

“I got you,” he said, reaching up somewhat above you for the brand you had been eyeing, but weren’t completely sure was right. “He still a twelve and a half?”

“Yeah. If they have them in the darker color, that would be great.”

He shifted a bit to the left, carefully pulling out a box and handing it to you. You opened it, inspecting the pristine boots within to find they were exactly what you were looking for.

“Thank you, these would’ve been hell to reach on my own.”

“Anything for my favorite girl.”

You smiled at the familiar endearment, elbowing Damien almost playfully.

“Your favorite, hm? How many other girls you got around here?”

“Oh, you know, I got a full harem, just…hordes and hordes of women throwing themselves at me, begging me for that number one spot in my heart.”

He gave a dramatic thump against his chest over his heart, giving you a playful look.

“Yeah, okay,” you said with a laugh, Damien following suit. His gaze then turned soft, almost tender with emotion as he continued to look down at you.

“I’ve missed you, (Y/N). It’s been way too long.”

“It really has,” you agreed, though you gave him a quizzical look. “What are you doing here, anyways? Andrew said you’d been deployed overseas.”

“I was, but our mission was cut short,” he answered. “A handful of us were sent back, so now I’m just helping out my uncle until they need me again. Oh, he bought this place, by the way.”

“Oh, he finally bought it? I thought things were looking a little different around here. Honestly, I didn’t expect Mr. Yahmen to finally cave and take the offer.”

“Well, he did, after a bit more…persuasion. It was a clean transition in taking over the business, and my uncle isn’t changing much, just expanding the products. He’s even upping the proceeds going to the military from the original thirty percent to sixty.”

“That’s amazing! You guys more than deserve every cent you can get.”

“Here recently, everyone would beg to differ. Too much shit happening that we haven’t been prepared for, and the majority of the population likes to blame us for it.”

He seemed a bit put-out as he spoke, enough that you caught the shift in his demeanor. You gave a gentle smile as you shifted the box in your grasp to one arm, reaching your hand out and placing it against his bicep.

“Guess I’m not everyone, then. People like you, my brother, you guys do so much for us, for this country. It’s not an easy job, and not everything is…ideal. But I have faith in you to do the right thing.”

Damien reached over and placed his hand over yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. There was that look in his eyes again, so tender and sweet, and for a moment it made you feel a bit flustered.

“Damien…?”

“If…if you’re not busy later, did you maybe wanna-?”

“(Y/n)? Wow, it’s great to see ya!”

At the gruff call of your name, both you and Damien pulled back from each other and turned to find Dusty, Damien’s uncle, and Captain America himself, dressed in jeans and a tight-fitting shirt and looking every bit surprised and amused to see you there. You couldn’t hide your own amusement at seeing him, shaking your head at the absurdity of your run-ins.

At least you didn’t have a gun pointed at you, this time around.

Dusty looked between you and the blond man, a somewhat knowing smile adorning his features.

“Oh, do you know each other, my dear?”

“You could say that,” you mused, smiling up at the man you’d forever know as your blue-eyed savior. “Well, Captain, I’d say it’s a surprise to see you, but at this point, I’m beginning to wonder if you’re actually following me around.”

“It’s…Steve, please,” he started with a sweet lilt to his lips, moving a bit closer at your welcoming smile. “And, for the record, I didn’t know this place existed until a friend of mine sent me here.”

“If you say so,” you teased lightly, watching as Steve’s eyes shifted over to Damien a moment before finding your gaze again.

“Oh, excuse me! Damien, you know the good Captain, yeah? Steve, this is-“

“Sergeant Damien Briggs, at your service, Captain,” Damien cut in, standing straight at his full height and giving Steve a salute, of which the blue-eyed man returned.

“Always glad to meet those heroes who are in the service. How long you been in?”

“Seven years, Sir. And still love every minute of it.”

“Good to hear,” he said with a small smile, turning to look at you once more. Damien did the same, both pairs of green and blue eyes expectantly waiting for you to say something. You stood there for a moment before realizing that the silence was actually becoming awkward.

“Oh! Uh, thank you, again, Damien, for helping me with the boots.”

“Sure thing, don’t mention it,” he answered with a grin, though it didn’t feel as genuine as the ones he had given you before. “I should get back to work. Don’t be a stranger, sweetheart.”

He then turned to Steve, giving the super soldier a nod of his head.

“Captain,” was all he said in farewell before moving passed him to his uncle, who looked mildly amused at the scene that had played out before him. They walked away together, leaving you and Steve to your own devices.

“So,” you began teasingly, “come here for a new uniform? Tired of that red, white, and blue body suit they have you wear?”

“No, actually, I came here on business. Classified, I’m afraid.”

“Mm, official Avengers business, then? Don’t worry, I’m not prying.”

“I’m not worried,” he said sincerely, following up with, “the suit is, ah, actually not too bad. If you, uh, wanted to know.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” you said with a smile.

There was a long stretch of silence between you where you both just stared at each other, words on the tip of your tongues, but brains unable to articulate how to form them. You both finally broke the silence, rambling at the same time.

“Did you maybe wanna-“

“So I was thinking that we could-“

Steve gave a short chuckle as you huffed in amusement, finding the moment awkwardly sweet.

“Sorry, you go ahead,” he said, ever the gentleman.

“Well, I was…I was wondering if you’d like to grab a coffee. With me. As friends, of course. Or, uh, acquaintances getting to know each other better? If, you know, you’re not still on business time, or whatever, or maybe we could do it some other time? Or not at all, I mean-“

“Yeah,” he answered as you rambled, his smile brightening as he gave a breathy laugh. “Yeah, that sounds good. Honestly, I was about to ask you the same. Figured three unintentional meetings has to be some sort of sign, right?”

You beamed at the blond man standing tall before you, finding that your sudden burst of confidence and playfulness was now quickly turning into awkwardness.

“Alright, then I should get…yeah, pay for this then, ah…yeah.”

“Yeah,” Steve repeated with that same sweet smile, turning to the side and holding out his hand in a gesture to lead you forward.

“After you, ma’am.”

“Oh please,” you stated, moving past him as he followed behind you, “if I’m calling you Steve, now, the least you can do is call me (Y/n).”

“Sure thing, (Y/n).”

Oh, you liked your name coming from that man’s mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	5. Amateur

“So, how did it go?”

Steve turned at the voice, not at all expecting Tony to be sitting on the couch, though not at all surprised to see a tablet in his hand. He tended to stay mostly in his lab with Bruce, as of recently, both working together to figure out more efficient ways to…do something Steve wasn’t completely sure about, to be honest. In any case, it was a surprise to see the man outside his space, intently staring down at his high-tech device with all the nonchalance that Tony Stark tended to carry.

“Uh, it went…well? You were right, though, there’s definitely something strange going on.”

Tony looked up abruptly from his device, giving Steve a strange sort of look that the good Captain could only describe as mild confusion.

“I was…wait, what? Say that again.”

“You were right,” Steve repeated, wondering if that’s what the billionaire was trying to get out of him. It would be just like Tony to make others gloat for him. “Something weird is going on at that warehouse, Shirts ‘n’ Skins? The new owner doesn’t seem suspicious, but some of the staff-“

“No, no, no. No! Back up, there, Cap, I wasn’t talking about that.”

“You weren’t?”

“Of course not! Not when there are more important matters I need information on.”

“I thought…Tony, I’m not following, here,” Steve relented, now thoroughly confused. “The whole point of me going out there was to get information on-“

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. I’ll get that from you, later. What I’m talking about is your date.”

“My…date?”

Tony rolled his eyes as he stood and moved to stand before Steve, fingers working over the brightly lit screen in his palm as he spoke.

“Yeah, you know, that little impromptu date you had with that cutie that’s sweet on you, the one you keep saving, ah, what’s her name? Oh, (Y/n)!”

Steve was baffled.

“Tony, that wasn’t…how did you even find out about that?”

“I have my ways,” he said, turning his tablet to show Steve the picture he had pulled up. It was of him and (Y/n), her hand up and mouth formed in a semi-serious ‘o’ shape as she had been animatedly telling him about something-or-other right before they entered the coffee shop.

“Also, I hacked into the city’s security camera grid, just to get a sweet little reminder for you. Not that it was that hard to do-”

“Tony….”

“-I mean, what moron was put in charge of security? Who in their right mind would make the password ‘PeanutButter76’, anyways-?”

“Tony! Have you been spying on me?”

This had the billionaire blinking at him owlishly, as if doing so would make Steve forget what the billionaire had said.

“You? No, of course not. Your girlfriend, however-“

“She’s…she’s not my girlfriend,” Steve iterated with a disbelieving huff, doing his best not to let his growing aggravation show in his voice, “and it wasn’t a date.”

“Date? Are we talking about (Y/n)?”

Steve turned to find Natasha coming up behind him, passing him and Tony to sit on the couch.

“Sweet girl, by the way. Glad you finally took my advice on getting back out there.”

“Not you, too,” he guffawed in exasperation. “It wasn’t a _date_.”

Natasha was unwaveringly ignoring his dismissal with an upward tilt of her eyebrow and an amused smile painting her lips, much to Steve’s dismay.

“How do you know about it? Is everyone in the tower spying on me?”

Natasha’s smile eased into a more gentle look as she leaned forward, motioning with a slight jerk of her head to the side for Steve to come take a seat beside her. He gave a sigh and followed suit, looking just a bit haggard at the subject matter currently being discussed. It was like they were blatantly ignoring him to get a reaction of some sort, and he wasn’t sure what kind they were looking for.

“Tell me about her,” Natasha pressed gently, nudging the super soldier with her shoulder playfully. It managed to get him to smile, if just a bit.

“You seem to already know her,” Steve said, blue eyes softening in surrender.

“Just the clinical stuff is all I know, and a brief run-in down in the main lobby. Her brother’s been stationed here in the tower for a few months, now.”

“Yeah, she told me about that,” he sighed, running a hand through his slightly ruffled hair before eyeing Natasha, who was expectantly waiting for him to continue. Tony had moved to stand behind her and wasn’t being as patient, rolling his free hand in a “go on” sort of motion.

“Look, it wasn’t anything like…what you guys think it was. We ran into each other-“

“Again? Goodness me, it must be fate!”

Natasha took that moment to glare at Tony, who seemed nonplussed by the action, before turning back to Steve.

“-and she asked me out to coffee. As _friends_ ,” he punctuated, earning a groan from Tony.

“Oh, Stevey boy, come on! Amateur Hour! You’re supposed to woo her, ask her out before she has the chance to ask you! I bet she was giving you all sorts of signals, too, just hoping good ol’ Captain America would sweep her off her feet and-“

“Tony,” Natasha called out, though her tone and matching look were both a warning to calm the theatrics before she decided to help him do it herself. The brunet gave a huff, but otherwise went quiet.

“She beat me to it, actually,” Steve admitted, remembering how flustered and sweet you’d been, rambling and losing yourself in your nerves. The thought made him smile briefly before a frown found its way to his lips as a much darker thought came to mind.

“We’d just run into each other at that warehouse, maybe exchanged a few words, but I couldn’t just…not after…well. The last two times we met, there was a gun pointed at her. I just needed to know she was safe, that she wasn’t being made a target again.”

Steve leaned his elbows against his knees, once again running a hand through his hair.

“We talked for a while, had a couple cups of coffee. Nothing unusual happened, no guns, no criminals.”

“Did you have a good time?” Natasha asked, Steve giving a light, almost scoffing chuckle.

“Yeah, I did. Like you said, she’s a…sweet girl, very engaging. She rambles a lot; it’s actually kind of-“

Steve cut himself off, looking up at a smiling Natasha and smirking Tony. He gave another scuffling laugh before continuing.

“Anyway, we talked for maybe a little over an hour, and then I escorted her back home.”

“Did you at least get her number?” Tony asked.

“No-“

The billionaire groaned, nearly smacking himself with his tablet in frustration.

“-but I gave her mine. Just in case she found herself in another bad situation.”

“Of course,” Natasha agreed with a nod of her head, though her eyes and the tiny quirk of her lips suggested she believed otherwise. “In any case, it’s good that you enjoyed yourself. You don’t get out much.”

Natasha gave Steve’s shoulder a pat and a firm squeeze, a reassuring and comforting gesture that had the good Captain feeling marginally better about the whole thing. She stood shortly after, moving past Tony toward the kitchen. At the entranceway, she turned to plant the brunet with a stare.

“Pepper says you’re due for a meeting five minutes ago.”

“Shit, right!” Tony gushed, glancing at the time on his tablet before throwing the device onto the couch beside Steve, steps hurried as he made for the door. He turned abruptly on his heel and stepped back into the lounge area to point a finger at Steve.

“You may not be as much of an amateur as I thought, Rogers, but we’ve seriously got to work on your dating skills. If Pepper doesn’t kill me.”

Tony rushed back to the door with a flourish as Steve groaned, calling after the hurried man.

“For the last time, it wasn’t a date!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


	6. Raincheck

You cursed as you rushed to the nearest building with an awning, damning your forgetfulness in the face of becoming completely soaked by the downpour of rain. You knew it was supposed to storm that evening; you even planned on bringing an umbrella to work with you and had preemptively placed it beside the door, but sometime between sleeping and actually leaving for work, it slipped your mind to grab it.

You were definitely paying the consequences, having been doused in a sudden, heavy rainfall that had soaked through your clothes in no time flat once you started on your trek home. Luckily, your tote was mostly water resistant, and everything inside was dry and safe from water damage.

A huffing sigh left you as you watched the rain come down harder, wiping at a trickle of water that was tickling the skin of your neck. There was nothing to do except wait for the downpour to let up a bit, at least enough to where you wouldn’t be sopping wet by the time you got home. Calling a taxi would be useful, but you were only a couple blocks away from your apartment. It seemed an awful waste of money when you could easily walk the rest of the distance, as you normally did, though your sore feet were begging you to get off of them.

Was there any end to your unfortunate luck, as of recently?

“Forget your umbrella?”

Turning, you were greeted by a curious face and kind eyes. You hadn’t even realized someone else was there with you, obviously having either just left the little shop the awning connected to, or, much like yourself, seeking shelter from the heavy rain.

“Yeah,” you answered with a disbelieving smile, shaking your head at your own misfortune. “Forgot the damn thing right beside the door. I guess this is what I get for being a ditz.”

“Nah,” the man disagreed nonchalantly, almost playfully, “we all have our bad days. Can’t let a little thing like forgetfulness ruin your day, even if it is, you know, raining.”

You gave a little chuckle at that, feeling your mood lighten a bit at the genuineness from the stranger. Just with your brief interaction, he seemed relatively down-to-earth, friendly and respectful.

“I guess you’re right,” you mused, “just haven’t been having the best month, you know? Feels like I can’t catch a break.”

“Well, that just means something good is coming your way,” he said. “Whole lotta bad usually leads to something much better, at least, in my experience, it does. I’m sure your break is coming.”

“I sure hope so,” you sighed, casting a warm smile over to the man. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” he brushed off kindly, giving a smile of his own before extending his hand toward you. “Name’s Sam.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam,” you greeted, reaching for the offered handshake and giving your own name.

“(Y/n)? Swear I’ve heard your name, recently.”

“Well, big city, lots of the same names out there,” you said playfully. “Pretty sure I know two other Sams.”

“No kidding? Well, lucky number three, right here.”

You laughed at that, looking out into the pouring rain as a comfortable silence followed. It didn’t seem as if the rain wanted to let up, at all, which was unfortunate. Absentmindedly, you shift on your feet, attempting to relieve the ache present in the arches.

“You, uh…you live far from here?”

“Ah, just a couple blocks, actually,” you answered honestly.

“Well, no use in you waiting around until this mess clears up.”

You looked over at Sam quizzically just as he held out his umbrella, of which you hadn’t realized he was holding in his other hand. It dawned on you quickly what he was intending, and you were quick to dissuade him with wide eyes and hesitant laughter.

“Oh, no, no! I couldn’t, really-“

“No, go on! I insist. I’m actually waiting for a friend to show up, so I’ll be here a while. Besides, you look like you’ve had a long, busy day. No sense in making it any longer.”

He shakes the umbrella just slightly, urging you to take it with the movement. You hesitate a moment longer before reaching out and slowly taking it from him, brows knitting together.

“Thank you. I don’t even know how I can repay you.”

“Just get yourself home safely, and we’ll call it even.”

You huffed, but smiled.

“That’s hardly fair, but I hardly have any grounds to argue on. Thank you, again, Sam.”

“Just providing a little sunshine on a rainy day.”

Your smile brightened at his words, feeling marginally better about taking his umbrella. He said he was waiting for a friend, so you weren’t as worried he wouldn’t have a way to shield himself from the storm, should it not relent anytime soon. His friend would, no doubt, have an umbrella of their own and most likely wouldn’t mind sharing the space.

With one last thanks, you opened the umbrella and stepped out into the rain, the patter against the slick surface covering your head calming and comforting you in the fact that you would stay mostly dry the rest of the way home.

So intent on getting back to your apartment, you were unaware of the other man that approached the shop’s alcove not but ten seconds after your departure.

“You’re late,” Sam said, eyeing his friend with an amused, somewhat exasperated smile.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Steve apologized, shaking the water from his own umbrella. “Stark held me up longer than I expected.”

“Go figure,” Sam scoffed, though his tone was hardly mean. “The man sure knows how to keep someone from their other obligations, right until he suddenly has somewhere else to be.”

“Give him some credit,” Steve sympathized, “he’s got a lot going on, right now.”

“Right, right, like we don’t all have a lot going on.”

Steve gave a short chuckle, eyes glancing out down the street for a brief moment. He paused, having to look again at the figure he had seen down the way, but they had just turned the corner before he could get a better look. Whoever it was, they looked rather familiar…

“You good, Cap?”

“Yeah,” he answered, following Sam into the shop, “just thought I saw something. Guess it’s just my old eyes playing tricks on me.”

“Ha-ha,” Sam sassed, giving Steve a raised brow at the blond’s grin. “By the way, gonna need to share your umbrella on our way out. Mine disappeared, and yours looks big enough to fit an army under.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya in the next chapter!


End file.
